Taco Gordo and All Souls Tortilleria Come to Old North End

June 14, 2018

Seven Days

Two Mexican-themed businesses will join the growing array of food enterprises in Burlington's Old North End around Labor Day, when Taco Gordo and All Souls Tortilleria move to 208 North Winooski Avenue.

The businesses will share the site of the former Burlington Beverage Center & Bottle Redemption, a space that is currently under renovation. Taco Gordo has sold its two food carts to a new venture —Carte Blanche(see "Passport to Street Eats") — and will transform into a restaurant and bar. All Souls, maker of organic corn tortillas, fresh masa and pre-cut corn chips, will relocate from its current production space in Warren.

"We had reached a point where it was the next logical step," saidCharlie Sizemore, owner of Taco Gordo. "We weren't going to build a third cart; we didn't want to expand on this temporary mobile business. [So] we started looking for spaces."

Guided by the menu of its mobile forerunners, Taco Gordo will serve à la carte tacos with an average price of $4, plus a selection of burritos and local beer and spirits.

"It's going to be a simple taqueria," Sizemore said. "We're going to have a house margarita that's reasonably priced. I'd like to see it grow into a fun place to hang out in the evenings."

The restaurant will open Tuesdays through Saturdays at 5 p.m., with plans to expand its hours. "What we've always done, getting to this point, is to grow organically," Sizemore said.

Though Taco Gordo and All Souls operate independently, they will partner in one endeavor: All Souls will make the tortillas Taco Gordo uses at its restaurant. The company has been producing tortillas in the Mad River Valley since 2015, and co-ownerSam Fullersaid he's pleased to be moving to the Queen City.

"It's exciting," he said. "So much of the community we partner with is in Burlington."